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Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News​​​

Noted Canadian blues musician JW Jones, who toured the UK at the end of last year (click here for a review of his superlative club gig in Glasgow) in support of the European release of his excellent High Temperature album (the follow up to the equally noteworthy Belmont Boulevard; both were Top 10 Billboard Blues chart successes) is looking to release his first ever live album later this year, and is asking the fans to support the cause.

JW-Jones has a Kickstarter project running right now and is looking for fan pledges to make the album a reality (pledge rewards range from a copy of the album through to an opportunity to play with the band).This will help ensure that the album is, to quote JW-Jones, "raw, real, high-energy blues, with top-shelf production values."

The campaign is also set up to go ahead only if the target goal is fully realised; no pledge backer will be charged if the goal is not reached – on the other hand if the target is surpassed, that additional revenue will go straight in to promotion (video, website, etc).

The album (and the sets scheduled to be performed and recorded on April 4th and 5th at La Basoche in Gatineau, Quebec) will be unique in that the JW-Band’s trademark of high-energy, good time blues infused with serious musicianship will feature nothing but previously unreleased numbers.The band intend to cover all the blues bases from B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf to Magic Sam and JW-Jones’ friend Charlie Musselwhite (for a song he recorded with Ben Harper that the JW-Band have been playing live for a few years).

"Between trading riffs with Buddy Guy six times, and tours in North-America and across the pond, the last couple of years have been pretty great. We figure that after playing 23 countries and 4 continents, doing 100 shows per year with 2018 Maple Blues Award winning bassist, Laura Greenberg, and a fantastic drummer, Will Laurin - it’s time for a live album!"JW-Jones

"His evolution as a musician and vocalist shine through on this record (High Temperature) like never before. Real songs, real playing by real people, and JW is the real deal."Chuck Leavell (musician, musical director for The Rolling Stones).

"If you missed JW-Jones last time do not miss him when he comes calling again. High Temperature by album name, High Temperature (and high quality) by performance nature."FabricationsHQ (gig review).

Saxon will reissue their first three albums – Saxon, Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law – on the 30th of March in CD (24 page) media book format (with a large number of bonus tracks) and in Vinyl (coloured splatter/swirl vinyl) edition; both will contain original lyrics, rare photos and memorabilia.

Saxon, over the decades have gone from being pioneers of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal to becoming one of the most successful UK rock-metal acts of all time; From 1979's Saxon album to latest album Thunderbolt, which was released on the 2nd of February, the band have enjoyed considerable success including five Top 40 albums in the UK and four Top 20 singles.

Saxon’s self-titled debut album was originally released on 21st May 1979 and is arguably the first NWOBHM album to be committed to tape.The album took the new sound of NWOBHM and paired it up with the band's early progressive and glam rock influences; it also put Saxon on the map as one of the bands spearheading the heavy metal revival that was sweeping the nation at the end of the seventies.

Saxon’s second album, Wheels Of Steel, was originally released in 1980 and propelled the band to stardom, going gold in the UK and spawning two top 40 singles '747 (Strangers In The Night)' and 'Wheels Of Steel,' which have remained live favourites to this day.Wheels Of Steel is hailed as a heavy metal classic and a genre defining moment.

Strong Arm of The Law was originally released a mere six months after Wheels Of Steel to capitalise on the band's rollercoaster success.Like its predecessor, this album is heralded as a timeless, heavy metal classic and many of its songs remain live favourites today, three and a half decades and more after its initial release.

​American hard glam and metal band the BulletBoys will release their new album, From Out Of the Skies, on the 23rd of March via Frontiers Records.

The album has been preceded by the newly released single 'D-Evil,' which features guest vocals from Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal; the band will also undertake a ten date UK tour through March.

From Out of the Skies was recorded at the Foo Fighters Studio 606, of which the band’s vocalist, guitarist and founding member Marq Torien says was "Unbelievably magical. Dave Grohl's music got me through a very difficult time, so from day one I knew that we were in the right home to record. I was privileged enough to use one of Dave's acoustic guitars to record with, along with a hand-picked drum set by Taylor Hawkins. I appreciate the opportunity to record there."

Forming in 1987, the BulletBoys began life as a collection of musicians from high profile late 80s US rock-metal bands such as King Kobra and Ratt.The band swiftly caught the attention of rock fans much further afield than the LA glam metal scene; their 1988 self-titled debut was a platinum Top 40 success on the Billboard charts while their fusing of hard rock and blues with their glam-rock-metal background has seen them compared to the likes of Aerosmith and particularly early era Van Halen.

Ever present of the band Marq Torien has kept his band relevant and the band remain in heavy rotation on rock and metal radio and TV channels worldwide.

​Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion, a truly independent and original blues band who deliver energetic lives shows based around their own, rootsy material, have announced both a winter-spring and spring-summer set of dates.

The band will also release their fifth studio album, The Blues and I Should Have a Party, on the 2nd of March.A number of songs from the album have been released as lead-off videos, including a lyric video for 'Way Down in the Caves' (a nod to iconic 60s venue Chislehurst Caves, with lyrics by Pete Feenstra).

Zoe Schwarz's vocal dynamic both demands, and captures, attention.With a chameleon like ability to vocally inject some Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone through her own distinct vocal and phrasing, Schwarz and band create a an infectious and irresistible sound featuring the melodic touch, six-string spark and catchy riffs of guitarist Rob touch over the grooves laid down by the keyboard-drums rhythm section of Hammond player Pete Whittaker and drummer Paul Robinson (Nina Simone, Van Morrison, The Proclaimers, Paul McCartney to name but four).

"Their originality and adventurous spirit gives them every right to be regarded as being in the vanguard of contemporary blues" - Pete Feenstra, Get Ready to Rock Magazine.

"A great band. Terrific musicians, all four of them, very very nice indeed." - Paul Jones Rhythm & Blues, BBC Radio 2

"Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion have a series of plaudits and nominations to their name, including Runner-Up nods in Best Band and Best Female Vocalist categories at the British Blues Awards.​But this is no second best band, this is a first-class outfit with a fresh approach." - Ross Muir, FabricationsHQ

​Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow will release Memories In Rock II, a live 2 CD/DVD package, on the 6th of April.The album will also be available on vinyl and digital format.

Memories In Rock II is a double CD set of songs recorded from the June 2017 UK Rainbow concerts plus a brand-new studio track entitled 'Waiting For a Sign,' which will be released as a single on the 16th of March.The DVD contains over 80 minutes of interview footage with the band and crew, an additional backstage clip and a video for the 2017 studio version of 'I Surrender.'

For the 2017 shows Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow weighted the set list with more Rainbow than Deep Purple songs, giving the fans exactly what they wanted and requested; Memories in Rock II also becomes the perfect companion piece to Memories in Rock : Live in Germany, which was recorded at the band’s two German shows in 2016 and featured a set-list split between Rainbow and Deep Purple numbers.

Memories In Rock IIDisc 1: Over The Rainbow; Spotlight Kid; I Surrender; Mistreated; Since You've Been Gone; Man On The Silver Mountain/Woman From Tokyo; 16th Century Greensleeves; Soldier Of Fortune; Perfect Strangers; Difficult To Cure; All Night Long; Child In Time

Disc 2: Stargazer; Long Live Rock'n'Roll/Lazy; Catch The Rainbow; Black Night; Carry On Jon; Temple Of The King; Smoke On The Water; Waiting For a Sign (new studio track)

Hot on the heels of the full band announcement for the fifth Lincoln Blues Rhythm & Rock Festival taking place at the Lincoln Drill Hall on Saturday 12th May comes news of the same show heading south to Harpenden the following day, Sunday 13th May.

For more info on the line-up, check the Lincoln Festival news item further below or click here.

Burnt Out Wreck, fronted by Gary Moat (co-founder and drummer of Scottish hard rockers Heavy Pettin' back in their 80s hair-day), have just released a lyric video for 'Flames;' the song is lifted from their excellent 2017 debut album, Swallow.

The 'Flames' video follows last year’s lyric video for the album’s big, brash and equally impressive title track; both songs intentionally nod to old school rock, but 'Flames' also carries a decidedly blues rock swagger and features an appropriately fast burning guitar solo from Adrian Dunn.

"Gary Moat proves that neither he nor his band mates live up their moniker, but are a re-energised musical force. One of the highlight sets of the weekend" (Hard Rock Hell Festival 2017)-Uber Rock

"If you have a hankering for AC/DC, UFO, Rhino Bucket and Thunder, that’s brilliantly played, with choruses catchier than chlamydia, then Burnt Out Wreck are going to have you dribbling in places you didn’t know dribbled. Welcome back, Gary."-Ever Metal

"From the barreling catchiness of 'Medusa' to the down and dirty grooves of 'Talk About Love' to the relentless grind of 'She’s The One,' Swallow plays well. Again, and again and again…"-Decibel Geek

"While Burnt Out Wreck and Swallow take their lead from the High Voltage rock and roll that used to be the order of the day, both band and album sit firmly and squarely in the present; they deliver a brand of unpretentious and honest rock and roll that’s untouched by political correctness or what the musical flavour of the month may be."-FabricationsHQ

One of Britain’s most established and respected blues rock singer-guitarists, Danny Bryant, has announced that his highly anticipated new studio album Revelation will be released by Jazzhaus Records on Friday 20th April 2018.

'Sister Decline,' the first track taken from the new album, is now available as an album pre-order download track on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

His fourth studio album to be produced by Richard Hammerton, following in the blues-steps of tasty trio Hurricane (2013), Temperature Rising (2014) and Blood Money (2015), Revelation is one of the most personal and emotional albums of Danny Bryant’s career.

Says Bryant of the album, "When I began writing this album, I knew that it was going to be one of the toughest challenges of my career. It wasn't lack of material, it wasn't a lack of desire, but I realised from the beginning that, if this record was to achieve the things I wanted it to say, I would have to go deep inside of myself with these songs and confront memories and emotions I didn't really want to face."

Revelation can be pre-ordered now via iTunes and Amazon (CD or LP).For exclusive bundles and signed merchandise, visit the official Danny Bryant Revelation store:https://dannybryant.tmstor.es/

Following last year’s highly successful Classic (and new) Hackett and Genesis Revisited tour, renowned guitarist, prog icon and former Genesis member Steve Hackett has announced a special six date tour of the UK for this October.The shows will once again treat fans to many favourite Genesis and Steve Hackett numbers, but this time with Hackett and his band accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra.

The decision to undertake this tour was cemented following the critical success of last year’s one-off US performance of the Genesis Revisited music with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Bradley Thachuk.

The performance went down a storm with the audience and, with the orchestra adding its own texture and colour to these classic tracks, it solidified Hackett’s thoughts on wanting to perform more orchestrated shows.​Additionally, such was the gusto and verve brought to the performance by the charismatic Bradley Thachuk that he will fly over to the UK to conduct the October shows.

"I always hoped that the Genesis music would one day involve an orchestra and I'm proud to say I'll now be able to make that dream a reality on my next British tour, involving my own extraordinary rock band alongside a full-sized orchestra."Steve Hackett.

The show will feature some of the best-loved songs from the Genesis catalogue (including 'Supper’s Ready,' 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' and 'Firth of Fifth') but Steve Hackett will not be neglecting his remarkable solo repertoire; a number of classic Hackett tracks will be included such as 'Shadow of the Hierophant,''El Niño' and 'The Steppes.'

Joining Steve Hackett on the orchestrated tour are his regular musicians Roger King (keyboards), Gary O’Toole (drums/percussion), Rob Townsend (saxophones/flutes) with Nad Sylvan on vocals.The band will be joined for this tour by Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings) on bass.

Meanwhile, with Steve Hackett having begun his North American tour (starting with Cruise To The Edge), Hackett has celebrated the tour by rerecording GTR’s hit US single 'When The Heart Rules The Mind,' which is now available as a purchasable download via Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon and all other digital services.

Of the rerecording Steve Hackett explains: "I always loved the track When the Heart Rules the Mind. I think it is the strongest thing Steve Howe and I wrote together and I always wanted to do a version where I would sing it myself with the use of today's production techniques. I'm also very pleased to have my friend Steve Rothery on board doing additional guitar."

Following on from King King’s highly successful January dates in the UK, which included their biggest London show to date at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire and a sold-out show at Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall, the No. 1 blues rock band in Britain have announced 18 dates through April, May and June including shows at the HRH Festival in Sheffield and the Rock & Blues Festival in Newport.King King released their fourth studio album Exile & Grace to critical acclaim in October 2017 via Manhaton Records.The album, recorded at Superfly Studios and mixed by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Feeder and Therapy?) features the singles '(She Don’t) Gimme No Lovin' and 'Long Time Running;' both were airplay hits on Planet Rock Radio UK.

King King – April-May-June UK tour dates:(* with Special Guest Steve Hill)

The Cathedral City of Lincoln won’t be so much ringing to the bells of its Cathedral on two particular days in May and July as echoing to the sounds of blues, rock, folk and roots music when Solid Entertainments bring the Lincoln Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival and the Lincoln Folk, Roots & World Music Festival back to the county town.

The Pretty Things will headline the fifth Lincoln Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival at the Lincoln Drill Hall on Saturday 12th May; five very different, but striking bands, will also be playing.​After more than fifty years of continuous musical service, The Pretty Things remain a significant force in rock and roll.​Despite their now veteran status, the band have a contemporary relevance that goes hand in hand with their undiminished energy, inspirational commitment and the ability to inspire the next generation of new artists and young fans, whilst retaining their devoted, core fan base.

Through their entire career, The Pretty Things have written and performed diversified and genre crossing music that has helped kept the band alive and musically well for more than half a century – from the early 60s and single charting success behind their rhythm and blues sound to psychedelic rock in the late 1960s (their 1968 release S.F. Sorrow was one of the first conceptual rock opera albums), hard rock in the early 1970s and new wave in the early 1980s.

The band’s latest studio album, The Sweet Pretty Things (Are In Bed Now, Of Course...), was released in 2015.

Doors open at 1.30 pm; music starts at 2.00 pm; festival ends at 10.00 pm.

Following the great success of last year’s Lincoln Folk, Roots & World Music Festival, the 2018 line-up had to equal, if not better, the 2017 event – and with Jacqui McShee's Pentangle headlining, special guest Julie Felix also performing and four other, very different and striking acts on the 14th July bill, this will be a folk, roots and world music experience not to miss.

Jacqui McShee grew up listening to music played on her parents’ gramophone – from Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald and big bands through to popular classics.Jacqui however showed little interest in music until she heard Miles Davis and John Coltrane at CND friends, which subsequently became the most important thing in her life – on CND marches Jacqui would lead the singing with her sister Pam and did many gigs locally, in South East London, for charities such as War On Want and Oxfam.

Upon co-founding the folk-rock band Pentangle in 1968, Jacqui’s beautiful crystal-clear vocals became the standard for female British folk.Pentangle became legendary on the folk-rock scene with virtuoso guitarists John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, Danny Thompson (double bass) and Terry Cox (drums); the original Pentangle expanded the frontiers of folk in the late 60s and early 70s while Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle have continued the concept of making ground-breaking music.

In 1964 Julie Felix arrived in England after leaving California and became the first solo folk artist to be signed to a major British record company when she signed with Decca.In 1966 Julie became the resident singer on the popular TV programme The Frost Report and quickly became a household name. She went on to appear in her own TV series on BBC1 and BBC2 and recorded hit singles on Mickey Most’s RAK label.Julie, who was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla in 2013, will be celebrating her 80th birthday one month before her appearance at the festival.

Julie Felix – with over fifty years in the music world, Julie will celebrate her 80th birthday in 2018 with a special concert at the Charing Cross Theatre in London.

Blair Dunlop – in only a short four year career, Blair Dunlop is already setting himself apart from his peers by way of his lyrical and musical maturity.

Galley Beggar – a sound that incorporates all manner of unexpected elements, while always celebrating the mischievous spirit of folk music across the centuries.

Said The Maiden – a beautiful blend of instrumentation and female vocals from three friends who discovered a mutual love of folk music when they reunited several years after spending their school years together in Hertfordshire.

The Beaubowbelles – combining the swing, wit and class of a vintage vocal harmony group with the sounds of a contemporary English folk band.

While Little Caesar are known for fusing no-nonsense hard rock with classic R&B melodies to produce straight up, good time rock and roll, the new single is a southern-tinged ballad that is a an ode to the mantra of "living in the moment" and the intimacy and gratitude that lies within it.With his soulful vocal, front man Ron Young leaves his heart on his heavily tattooed sleeve while the emotive guitar solos build the song into what should become a Little Caesar classic.

Bursting onto the LA scene in 1987 and making their first recorded appearance on the 1989 Metal Blade Street Survivors compilation, Little Caesar signed with DGC Records under Geffen.Unfortunately in an all too real Spinal Tap sequence of events, within weeks of the release of their self-titled 1990 debut, their label was sold. In the subsequent mix-up all their records were lost in transit to the new distributors and the bean counters anvil came down on a band who were just getting going.

However the band still managed to hit the road, primarily off the success of their cover of Aretha Franklin’s 'Chain of Fools' and toured with bands as varied as Jane’s Addiction, KISS, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Social Distortion and Lynyrd Skynyrd.They also headlined their own tours across the US and scored heavy rotation on MTV.

In 1992 they released Influence and toured Europe for the first time; they also sold out the famous Marquee Club in London. That same year Ron Young appeared in Terminator 2 as the tough talking biker that gets into a fight and is somewhat inevitably is thrown out of a window by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just as things looked on the up for Little Caesar they, like so many others, fell victim to the burgeoning alt-rock scene and the grunge wave that swept over American rock music.Little Caesar disbanded, only to reform more than a decade later in 2001 when they performed a string of high profile shows at the House of Blues, the California Speedway for NASCAR, and the Rock The Bayou Festival in Houston.

In 2009 there was a second and subsequently permanent reunion leading to the album Redemption, a return to Europe and the UK and a further album, American Dream, in 2012; the band also played the Hard Rock Hell festival in Wales that December.In 2013 Little Caesar returned to Europe, appearing at The Download Festival, and in 2016 released the double live album Brutally Honest.In 2017, the band returned to the UK and Europe, toured the US, and entered the studio with Bruce Witkin to produce Eight.

Thin Lizzy drum legend Brian Downey and his new band Alive and Dangerous have announced a return to Nell's Jazz & Blues to perform as part of the London Fleadh week.The return show follows hot on the heels of the bands’ successful two concerts at the venue in November 2017.

Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous feature Brian Grace (best known as the guitarist for the Commitments’ Andrew Strong) and former Low Rider members Matt Wilson (lead vocals, bass) and Phil Edgar (lead guitar).

2018 celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous album; although the album was recorded live in 1977 at London’s Hammersmith Apollo and Toronto’s Seneca College, it wasn’t released as a double live record until 1978.

Says Brian of the new band:"After the Thin Lizzy reunion shows finished in 2013, I was asked to join what turned out to be Black Star Riders, but it just didn’t feel right for me. In January 2016, following an appearance at the Vibe For Philo in Dublin, I approached Brian Grace and that’s when we discussed getting a band together.After a few rehearsals, Brian suggested that we rehearse with Matt Wilson (lead vocals, bass) and Phil Edgar (guitar), both of whom had been in a band called The Low Riders (their name was taken from a lyric from the Thin Lizzy song Johnny The Fox).In January 2017 we jammed together, and it went so well we decided to form Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous and make it a full time proposition."

Geoff Carne and the Hatz (the live performance duo of rock/ blues singer-guitarist Geoff Carne and long-time musical partner, drummer Mick Hatz) will release an EP entitled 4 Play on February 23rd (carried by some digital sites on February 16th).

4 Play follows on from the rock and garage blues stylings of the duo’s 2016 album Get Close, which garnered favourable review from the likes of Liverpool Sound and Vision and Pete Feenstra for Get Ready To Rock!; Geoff Carne’s 2014 solo album, One To One, also received favourable review, including from FabricationsHQ.On the EP the Carne and Hatz team are joined by Paul Mex (producer, mixer, bass guitar, piano).

As regards the direction of the 4 Play material and the differences between Geoff Carne and the Hatz as a live duo and the three-piece heard on 4 Play, Geoff Carne explained to FabricationsHQ that "on the EP we moved more into a riff and 12 bar blues route for the first three songs ('Down and Out,' 'Maybe Someday,' 'Medicine Man') before finishing with a piano mix of the rock ballad 'Forgiven,' which was a single last summer.Our producer Paul Mex plays piano on the track and added some subtle bass lines all to the songs, making them more radio friendly.Live, we remain the vocal, guitar and drums two-piece outfit Geoff Carnes and the Hatz!"

​Contemporary and blues rock not to be missed when Stone Broken get their spring UK tour under way on the 22nd of February in the company of The Bad Flowers and Jared James Nichols...

Powerhouse contemporary hard rockers Stone Broken will release their new album It Ain’t Always Easy on March 2nd while heavy rock trio The Bad Flowers release their debut album, Starting Gun, on February 16th.

Raucous blues rocker Jared James Nichols released his second studio album, Black Magic, in October of last year.

Five of the seven shows – Tunbridge Wells, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Birmingham – will see the band share the bill with London based alternative/indie rock act Desert Mountain Tribe.Both acts are signed to the Membran label for the release of their music in Europe.

Mother’s Cake are currently completing a video for new single 'The Sun,' taken No Rhyme No Reason.Meanwhile the song can be viewed below.

Mother’s Cake released their debut album, Creation’s Finest in 2012 and followed it up with Love The Filth in 2015 (releasing the live album Off The Beaten Track between studio recordings).

The band, who tour extensively as a headline act through Austria, Germany and Switzerland, have picked up notable support slots further afield, including with AC/DC, Iggy Pop, Deftones, Wolfmother, Anathema and Pentagram.

"This is some of the most enjoyable rock you will hear all year."POWERPLAY

"Bigfoot is built on contemporary, no nonsense, twin-guitar rock riffage, driving rhythms and a whole dose of attitude, but both album and band have quite the rock pot of influences.And with the backing of Frontiers Records and the multi-faceted quality of their debut album, there should be a significant increase in sightings of the Bigfoot you can definitely believe in."FABRICATIONSHQ

The phrase "long awaited debut album" is an often used one in review comment or press-bite, but waiting thirty years to see or hear that phrase must qualify as some sort of record (and not the vinyl variety)…

Originally formed in 1983, Belfast based rock outfit No Hot Ashes were influenced by the top hard and melodic rock acts of the day including UFO, Whitesnake, Journey, Foreigner, Thin Lizzy and many others who became giants of what we now term Classic Rock.

In 1986 No Hot Ashes released their first single, 'She Drives Me Crazy' and supported Mama’s Boys, Magnum, Girlschool and Steve Marriott’s Packet of Three.Two years later the band signed to GWR Records (who had Motorhead, Girlschool and Hawkwind on their roster), relocated to London and recorded a debut album, all before 1988 was out.

However delays in getting the record released didn’t help the cause and by the end of 1990, in the midst of a changing musical climate, the band called it a day and the record was shelved.

That should be the end of the story but in September of 2013 the band reformed for a one-off tribute gig, which subsequently became a full-blown reunion.Performing what has been described as classic melodic rock with a contemporary twist, No Hot Ashes have, over the last four years, been delighting both new fans and old with their live shows and hook-laden guitar and keyboard driven songs; they have supported Aerosmith, Foreigner, UFO and the Scorpions along the way and toured the UK with FM and Romeo’s Daughter.

The band have also performed at a number of major festivals including Hard Rock Hell AOR, Download, London Calling, Ramblin’ Man, Steelhouse, Rockingham and the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, making a significant impact each time.

No Hot Ashes are currently preparing to hit the road in support of what is now their very long awaited (and eagerly anticipated) debut album, which will be released on Frontiers Records on the 3rd of March, 2018 (you can pre-order the album here: http://radi.al/NoHotAshes).

Unfortunately the pleasure of releasing the album is tinged with sadness as founding member, bass player and close friend to all, Paul Boyd, lost his brave battle with cancer in 2017.Paul appears on the album and the band are respectfully dedicating its release to his memory.

"Thirty-five years ago we started a journey as band members and friends. We've had some incredible highs and some devastating lows. We lost Paul Boyd to cancer in January last year. He played and sang on this album. I cannot tell you how proud I am of it and him. The songs are massive, the production immense.The world needs this album because there is always room in life for quality. Listen and enjoy."Eamon Nancarrow – No Hot Ashes.

Heavy blues rock quartet Dirty Thrills, whose outstanding album Heavy Living was given the FabricationsHQ award nod for best rock based album of 2017, have confirmed the rearranged dates of a set of UK shows that were postponed just prior to Christmas.

Good to see and hear Belfast based rock outfit Baleful Creed starting to make a noise (and a heavy, weighty one at that) with second album Seismic Shifter.

On the latest album the band – Fin Finlay (vocals, guitar), John Allen (guitar), Davy Greer (bass, vocals) and Dave Jeffers (drums) – mix stoner rock and more contemporary influences with the purposeful riffage of Black Sabbath while lyrically shunning the usual suspects for weightier, real life subjects (the album’s title reflects the changing political landscapes, nationally and globally, and not the ground shaking volume of the music within).

Baleful Creed have already picked up some solid recognition through dedicated rock radio stations on both sides of the pond and more lately featured on Planet Rock; on the strength of Seismic Shifter the band’s debut album (a remixed and remastered package of earlier EP releases) is now close to selling out in its hard copy/ CD form.

Celebrated progressives Marillion have added three more dates to their 2018 UK tour.

The dates - Belfast, Dublin and York - join the seven others to be performed in April, five of which have already sold out.

Marillion are a leading force in progressive music, mixing the musically-experimental with the emotional; the soul-bearing aspect of their music both helps set the band apart and form an almost religiously zealous following.

After nearly forty years, the band has evolved into a vibrant and highly successful international musical force, flourishing outside of fashion and mainstream media exposure. Since their formation, Marillion have had nineteen Top 30 singles, four of which made the Top 10.

Their most recent album, F E A R, peaked at #4 in the UK album charts and #1 in the rock chart in 2016.

Marillion are not just musically innovative; they are widely acknowledged to be the first band to use the now commonplace crowdfunding scheme (Pledge Music and Oxford University have acknowledged that the band invented the business model).In the late 90s, fans sponsored an entire US tour; their first crowd-funded album was Anoraknophobia, released in 2001.

Vocalist Steve Hogarth says: "I have been part of this band now for twenty-seven years and it barely feels like ten. I think we’re as inspired as we ever were, and we’re still enjoying creating together. Luckily our music has remained free to evolve and change without the constraints of a corporate music business which otherwise might have killed us. By reinventing the business-model we have maintained a one-to-one relationship with our fans, and that feeling is never more apparent than at the live shows."

​Welsh melodic power rockers Kane’d (the name comes from seven piece band's front-line vocal trio of sisters Steph, Stacey and Chez Kane) will release their new album, Show Me Your Skeleton, on the 9th of February.

High energy and hard hitting, their earliest tag as an alt-rock outfit is more than a little misleading (and was clearly, in part, due to their somewhat unique band line-up); as the title track of the new album clearly shows, this is a group who have developed into an outstanding, melodic euro-rock styled band with a distinct and highly effective three-way vocality.

​​Ten Years After and Chrysalis Records have just released the limited edition, original era of the band 10CD Box Set 1967 - 1974.

The comprehensive collection gathers together, for the first time, the band’s first nine albums from both their Chrysalis and Deram periods; the set also includes a tenth CD of previously unreleased material.

The set is limited to just 1,500 copies worldwide with the material within remastered from the original 1/4" production master tapes; the bonus disc, entitled The Cap Ferrat Sessions, consists of never heard before recordings from 1972, newly mixed by acclaimed record producer Chris Kimsey.

The 10CD package comes complete in luxury hardback format with slipcase and accompanying book, which includes newly commissioned and in-depth sleeve notes written by legendary Melody Maker journalist and early champion of the band, Chris Welch.There are also extensive interviews with the remaining band members plus members of the late Alvin Lee’s family, as well as additional recording notes by Chris Kimsey.

"I’m genuinely excited about the new Ten Years After box set that we worked on with Chrysalis to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary," says Ric Lee, Ten Years After’s founding drummer and part of the current Ten Years After line-up along with original keyboard player Chick Churchill.

Continues Ric, "The bonus CD features the previously unreleased [recorded] live album The Cap Ferrat Sessions. Originally recorded in 1972 in the South of France using The Rolling Stones Mobile recording truck, the session tracks were gathering dust until now. I remember we recorded the live tracks in a villa in Cap Ferrat, South of France.Each of the instruments were recorded in a different room and between Chris Kimsey, our recording engineer and I, we managed to get one of the best drum sounds on any Ten Years After recording.The session tracks were originally planned for the Rock 'N' Roll Music to the World album, but due to vinyl restrictions of the time, the tracks were not included in the final album release."

Revisiting the Cap Ferrat tapes some 45 years later Chris Kimsey added "the band were incredibly creative and abundant during this period. These re-discovered recordings were not rough demos but completed masters that did not make the album due to the time limitations of vinyl; so these gems were left off.Mixing this in 2017 I began to study the parts, the playing, the response of each musician. It was amazing!"

For avid collectors and fans of the band, the legendary Cap Ferrat sessions will have a special appeal and will be an essential addition as part of this limited edition set.

During an intense seven-year period Ten Years After – Alvin Lee (vocals, guitar), Ric Lee (drums), Leo Lyons (bass), Chick Churchill (keys) – embarked on marathon tours, conquering America and enjoying success round the world, all while unleashing a succession of ground breaking albums.Their 1967 debut Ten Years After was swiftly followed by the live album Undead (1968) through the critically acclaimed A Space In Time (1971, featuring one of their finest songs 'I’d Love to Change the World,' very apt in today's world), and ending with 1974's Positive Vibrations.

Australian heavy rockers Dead City Ruins have just released their video for new single 'Bones', taken from their upcoming new album Never Say Die, due for release 13th April.

The band, who have been together eight years and released their debut album Midnight Killer in 2012 and self-titled second offering in 2013, toured Europe in 2015 for 10 months solid.

All the money made from the tour was poured in to the recording and production (by James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, Sunset Sons)) of Never Say Die, the band’s third album and the one that its hoped gets them wider attention and recognition.

Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed has just released 'This Don’t Look Like Vegas' as a single; the track will feature on his forthcoming debut solo album, Rock 'n Roll Ain’t Easy.

The album, scheduled for release on the 16th of February on Australian label Golden Robot Records, will initially be available worldwide in digital format (and on CD and Purple Vinyl in Australia/NZ/Japan).Written by Dizzy Reed, Ricky Warwick and Del James (and sounding like Mott the Hoople had been born and musically bred twenty years later in the burgeoning LA glam-metal scene), 'This Don’t Look Like Vegas' features Warwick and Mayuko Okai on riff and rhythm guitars (Reed’s Guns N’ Roses bandmate Richard Fortus supplies the searing solo) and a suitably stinging rhythm section of W.A.S.P. bassist Mike Duda and ex W.A.S.P. drummer Mike Dupke.

Those pre-ordering will instantly receive the single, which you can stream below:

Dizzy (aka Darren Arthur) Reed joined Guns N’ Roses on keyboards, percussion and backing vocals in 1990 and has been the only fixture in the band, along with founder and ever-present Axl Rose, since that time.

Reed has also toured with the Psychedelic Furs and was part of the supergroup The Dead Daisies; when not out with Guns N’ Roses, he can be heard performing with his hard rock covers band side project, Hookers and Blow.

​Following their outstanding and extremely well received shows in Wolverhampton and London, Black Country Communion have released an Official Music Video for 'Wanderlust,' a powerful heavy melodic rock highlight of the band's fourth studio album, BCCIV.

BCCIV, Black Country Communion’s critically acclaimed 'reunion album' (five years on from Afterglow, which was the band’s third album in just over two years), was released in October 2017.

Reflecting on the life of musician and founding member of the Moody Blues, Ray Thomas, who sadly passed on the 4th of January, Malcolm Dome, in his TeamRock.com tribute, included the Thomas quote "I never thought of myself as being very gifted. I was happy, though, to have played a part in bringing out the talents of those around me."

That’s a generous and gregarious comment from a musician who was also a true gentleman of rock and roll; it’s also a little inaccurate as regards the not very gifted remark.

Although a self- taught flautist he was a quite brilliant one who could be light and whimsical, genuinely moving and poignant, or truly ethereal (as on his own Moody Blues composition, the psychedelic progressive pop of ‘Legend of a Mind’) as a given song or arrangement required.​More simply he was an integral part of the classic Moodies sound, from their ground-breaking progressive and symphonic 70s era to their more 80s synth pop period and through to their structured and well-conceived pop rock of the 90s.

Ray Thomas was also a consummate multi-instrumentalist – harmonica (most notably with his pre-Moodies blues band El Riot And The Rebels, who also featured future Moody Blues men John Lodge and Mike Pinder), saxophone, French horn, piano and oboe (the latter utilised on a number of Moody Blues albums) were all part of his repertoire.

The mention of ‘Legend of a Mind’ also reminds that Thomas made a number of significant songwriting contributions to the Moody Blues vast catalogue of classics, contributed a number of lead vocals to the band’s catalogue (all with that Thomas twinkle in the voice charm) and released two solo albums, From Mighty Oaks and Hopes Wishes and Dreams, during the Moodies mid-70s hiatus.

Sadly, ill-health saw Ray Thomas permanently retire from the Moody Blues at the end of 2002; his last album appearance with the band was on 1999’s Strange Times.In October 2014 Thomas announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, confirming it was inoperable but that he was receiving treatment with a high success rate.

Ray Thomas died at home on the 4th of January 2018. He was 76.​He was also, given his progressive leanings and interest and fascination with transcendental meditation and eastern philosophies (as were many of the Moodies while searching for the lost chord) the Veteran Cosmic Rocker who made a not insignificant mark on the melodic and progressive pop and rock landscape.

Esoteric Recordings have announced the forthcoming release of an official, limited edition Super Deluxe box set celebrating fifty years of the legendary Procol Harum with Still There’ll Be More : An Antholgy 1967-2017.

The 8 disc set comprises 5 CDs and 3 DVDs.The first three discs feature key tracks from Procol Harum’s illustrious career (tracks from every Procol Harum album feature, including 2017’s Novum); the fourth disc showcases the band’s legendary concert at the Hollywood Bowl, 21st September 1973, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Roger Wagner Chorale.Disc five features a previously unreleased concert from the Bournemouth Winter Gardens on the 17th of March 1976.

The DVD content is NTSC/ Region Free and features over three and a half hours of footage, mostly previously unreleased.The DVD content begins with a performance of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' on the BBC TV show Top of the Pops from December 1967 before moving to the archives of the German Beat Club series. All of the band’s surviving performances from that show are included including the entire, and never broadcast, raw video footage of the band’s Beat Club Workshop studio concert from 1971.

The second DVD features the entire sixty-five minute recording session of a performance for the German Musikladen series in October 1973, most of which was never shown on television.The third DVD and final disc of the Super Deluxe box set features various BBC TV performances including a rendition of 'Pandora’s Box' from Top of the Pops in September 1975 and the band’s Sight and Sound In Concert series performance from March 1977.

The lavish and re-mastered set also features a sixty-eight page hard backed book, which includes an essay by Patrick Humphries, a lengthy in-depth commentary on the performances featured by respected Procol Harum authority Roland Clare and many previously unseen photographs and memorabilia from Gary Brooker’s private collection.The box set is completed by a 60cm x 40 cm reproduction poster from a Procol Harum concert (featuring support from Vivian Stanshall) in 1976.

In a retrospective showcase of Michel Schenker’s last ten years and in celebration of the renowned German guitarist’s return to his rock roots through MSG, Temple of Rock and Michael Schenker Fest shows,in-Akustik have just released the double album A Decade Of The Mad Axeman.The 2CD collection features the best of Michal Schenker’s studio and live output from 2007 to 2016.

Michael Schenker’s various group line-ups across that ten year period, including the now firmly established and outstanding Schenker-led quintet Temple of Rock, have helped herald in a true return to rock form and six-string power for the guitar great; the last decade is also considered to be the most impressive phase of Schenker’s career since the classic UFO days of the mid to late 70s and early 80s era MSG.

Following a reunion with UFO around the turn of the Millennium, followed by a number of more experimental and / or acoustic solo releases, Schenker returned to his hard rock roots in 2007 with the MSG album In the Midst of Beauty featuring original MSG vocalist Gary Barden and a number of rock notables including Neil Murray, Simon Phillips and Don Airey.

In 2011 Schenker put together a new band featuring guest musicians; the Temple of Rock project has gone on to be a fully-fledged band in its own right featuring Schenker, Scottish vocalist Doogie White, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Wayne Findlay and classic era Scorpions rhythm section Francis Buchholz (bass) and Herman Rarebell (drums).

In 2017 a special Michael Schenker Fest live album, recorded and filmed in Tokyo and featuring ex Michael Schenker Group and McAuley Schenker Group alumni, was released.

Michael Schenker – A Decade of the Mad Axeman

CD1 – The Studio RecordingsI Want You [2007], Night To Remember [2007], Cross Of Crosses [2007], Ride On My Way [2007], Miss Claustrophobia [2011], Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead [2011], Storming In [2011], How Long (3 Generations Guitar Battle Version) [2011], Lord Of The Lost And Lonely [2013], To Live For The King [2013], Land Of Thunder [2013], Black Moon Rising [2013], Live And Let Live [2014], Rock City [2014], Saviour Machine [2014], Bulletproof [2014]

​Scottish hard melodic rock power trio, The King Lot, have just released their new album A World Without Evil, which became the first Featured Album review of 2018 on FabricationsHQ.

The band will be back out on the road in February and March to promote the album on a co-headline tour with their hard rockin' buddies, Thirteen Stars.​The Cumbrian based band, as vibrant and high-energy as The King Lot, provide perfect musical contrast with their brand of southern and country inspired hard rock and roll, as featured on 2015’s The White Raven (new material has since been written for a new album).

It's only the top of the year but Wishbone Ash and Madfish Music may have already put themselves forward as the deliverers of the the most lavish and comprehensive anthology box set of 2018.

Wishbone Ash - The Vintage Years (1970-1991) is a deluxe, strictly limited edition (2,500 copies) 30 CD set that comprehensively covers the original and classic era line-up/s of one of the most enduring British rock bands.​The CD’s in the set cover all sixteen studio albums released by the original & classic line ups of Wishbone Ash between 1970 and 1991 (with bonus material including rare album outtakes, B-sides and twelve previously unreleased studio tracks), three original live albums and eight previously unreleased live albums:Portsmouth Guildhall 1973 (2CD)Southampton University 1973Edinburgh Usher Hall 1976Marquee Club 1977Newcastle City Hall 1977Bournemouth Winter Gardens 1978 (2CD)Guildford Civic Hall 1980 (2CD)Chelmsford Odeon 1980.

The music featured in the set has been remastered from the original multitrack and ​¼" tapes, sourced from Martin Turner and Andy Powell's personal collections, and from the Universal Music and Atlantic archives.

Authorised by all of the original band members, the set also includes a 156 page hardback book, 36-page poster book, reproductions of four original tour/ live show posters, a facsimile of the MCA debut album promo pack, a 7" flexi disc for the single 'Blind Eye' and individually signed photos of each band member: Martin Turner, Andy Powell, Ted Turner, Steve Upton and Laurie Wisefield.

The box itself will feature brand new cover artwork designed by Colin Elgie, reimagined from his award-winning Live Dates sleeve artwork.

"I looked after most of these tape recordings for decades, wondering when they would ever see the light of day and I am very glad that they will at last be available for everyone to hear. Pete Reynolds has done a brilliant job of mixing and remastering a massive collection of work; it’s almost like having ones whole musical life in one box. It certainly represents the most comprehensive Wishbone collection that I know of." - Martin Turner

"It’s truly amazing to look back at the musically fertile 70s and 80s and wonder at the sheer amount of incredible creative output from our band. We had great roots and a really strong blue-print for success.I feel blessed to have played my part in it all and I’m truly thankful that it’s set the course for my entire life and all the music that’s followed." - Andy Powell

THEIA, the chunky guitars and driving rhythm rock trio from Burton-on-Trent, have followed up the lighter shades of previous single 'Home' (the acoustically led and melodically charged song from their excellent Back in Line album) with the powerful and darker 'Just Go,' also from Back in Line.

The song is based around the subject of date rape with the band, using the hashtag #metoo, looking to raise awareness of the harrowing and horrific issue of sexual abuse.The lyrics were largely taken by front man Kyle Lamley from a song his father wrote 35 years previously, based on an incident he had been told about.

The lyric video for the song uses public testimonies from victims as its opening; FabricationsHQ would implore the listener to listen/ follow through on the whole video and the lyrics, not just the gritty and powerful rock song that acts as the messenger.

The launch of the single, video and #metoo campaign will seek to raise funds to help the selected charities by way of a digital download of the single.

100% of proceeds from the launch date until the 28th February 2018 will be split equally between RapeCrisis and RACPA (Rock Against Child Pornography and Abuse).

The single is available on i-tunes; you can head to the album/ track link by clicking here.

RACPA commented "It is important, right and courageous to take these issues on and support and empower women, men and children to say No."

As part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations to be undertaken next year by progressive luminaries YES, the band have announced a UK Fan Convention Day, to take place on the 25th March 2018.This will be part of a weekend of events to coincide with their two London Palladium shows on 24th & 25th March, the final dates of their 2018 YES50 Anniversary UK tour.On Sunday, 25th March, the London Palladium will host the YES Fan Convention, attended by both current members of the band and YES alumni.The event is sponsored by Prog Magazine and will feature:

The official launch and world-wide availability of the Drama line-up version ofFly From Here, with new lead vocals throughout by Trevor Horn (and a remix by the singer/producer); this will also include an unreleased track (in limited numbers available for purchase).

Roger Dean artwork on display and for sale. Trading Boundaries (Prog Rock venue) will host Roger Dean’s stand at which a new piece of artwork for Close to the Edge will be revealed for the first time.

Billy Idol will bring his Live! 2018 Tour to the UK and Europe in June and July; these will be Idol’s first UK / European run of dates since his successful Kings & Queens of The Underground Tour in 2014 and 2015.

The 2018 UK dates kick off with a show at the 02 in Manchester and include a performance at London’s Brixton Academy on the 23rd of June; further dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Billy Idol was one of MTV’s first megastars, making him one of the most recognizable faces in pop music and an arena tour artist. He has sold 40 million albums, scored a number of platinum albums worldwide, had nine Top Forty singles in the US and ten in the UK including 'Dancing With Myself,' 'White Wedding,' 'Rebel Yell,' 'Mony Mony,' 'Eyes Without a Face,' 'Flesh For Fantasy' and 'Cradle Of Love.'

Idol returned to the spotlight in the fall of 2014 with two high profile releases that marked the latest chapter in the long and remarkable story of a man and musician who returned from the brink; a rebel whose yells made the mainstream sit up and pay attention…

Billy Idol’s New York Times bestselling autobiography Dancing With Myself is an intelligent, brutally honest and entirely self-written account of Billy Idol’s journey to fame, from his early days as front man of the pioneering UK punk band Generation X to a long and often decadent life lived loving sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll and motorcycles.

Kings & Queens of The Underground was Billy Idol’s first album of new material in nearly a decade.The album’s palette, which includes incredible contributions from Idol’s long-time collaborator and lead guitarist Steve Stevens, will be instantly familiar to lovers of classic Billy Idol, while announcing a firm step into the future.Produced by Trevor Horn, the album is full of thumping, cinematic songs about sin, redemption and the love of rock ‘n’ roll.

"Kings & Queens of The Underground has been worth the wait because it's the singer's best album to date, certainly in terms of its musical breadth and the reflective nature of some of the songs (clearly influenced by the recent writing and publication of his autobiography Dancing With Myself)."- FabricationsHQ

"Wrapped in leather and soaked in nostalgia, the punk zealot serves up hard riffs with attitude… Idol struts and snarls, propelled by the conviction that rock is the cure for whatever ails you… this show is nothing if not fantastic fun."- The Guardian

It’s hard to find fault in the southern tinged rock and roll that Bad Touch have delivered on their debut release Half Way Home and current album Truth Be Told– and you certainly can’t fault their work ethic in getting out there and continuing to play their music out beyond the UK’s blues rock fan-base and into new territories.

Having double-headlined with Broken Witt Rebels in 2017 on the Planet Rock Roadstars tour, and supported both King King and the Kentucky Headhunters on their respective 2017 UK dates before heading out on their first UK headlining tour, the Norfolk base quintet have now announced their first venture of 2018, on tour as opening act to Skid Row on the US rock-metal outfit’s March 2018 UK tour.

The first Skid Row concert Bad Touch will play will be the Glasgow O2 ABC on Monday 5th March.

"We’re excited to be a special guest on Skid Row’s upcoming tour in March," says Bad Touch’s lead singer, Stevie Westwood. "Skid Row are a legendary rock band and it will be fantastic to perform in front of their fans. We cannot wait to show their fans what Bad Touch are made of!"

In a different age and era, all things being musically equal, Bad Touch would be filling academy sized halls much as Skid Row are still able to do – but no matter the venue size there is no question this is one of the best UK rock bands currently performing; something rock fans will see and hear first-hand in March when they are back out on the road with Skid Row and Toseland.

Noted British blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Laurence Jones will release his fifth studio album, The Truth, in the UK on the 9th of March 2018.

To showcase new songs and in anticipation of the album, the Laurence Jones Band will play at London’s Borderline on Tuesday, 23rd January. A run of UK dates in support of The Truth dates will feature in May.

Fans can now head to the Laurence Jones store to pre-order The Truth as well as check out the Bundle Package options including the new album, vinyl, T-shirts, limited edition laminates and an exclusive pre-order poster: https://laurencejones.tmstor.es/

An official music video for 'Give Me Your Time' has also been released to dovetail with the announcement of the new album:

​For The Truth Laurence Jones has taken a musical departure, in songwriting terms and geographically.

The album was recorded at the old Sony Studios in Miami, an opportunity that presented itself when the Grammy award winning label Top Stop Music signed Jones and proposed he recorded the album in Florida with label owner and producer Gregory Elias.The results are an album with a distinct and intentional crossover feel, blending blues rock with US coastal / AOR blues and pop-rock; lyrically, the album is themed around love, life, relationships and the reality of what is happening in today's world.

Says Laurence Jones of the album, "The direction is one I have always wanted to take and that's crossover blues, just like my heroes John Mayer, Eric Clapton and even Jimi Hendrix. They managed to really bring the sound of the blues to the masses. This is definitely my favourite album that I have made to date. I can't wait for people to hear The Truth."

As regards the sonic departure and inspiration behind The Truth, Jones explains further:"The songs are more structured in a pop/rock way, all having a verse, chorus and middle 8. I am inspired by all kinds of music. I listened to a lot of modern music and keep up to date with what’s in the charts.I just want to hear more guitar in today’s music and you could say my songs are commercial but with the guitar. It's all about the melodies, people can sing along to all of these songs. Sometimes the simplest things come across more powerful."The Truth – track listing:What Would You Do; Don’t Let Me Go; Hold Me Close; Keep Me Up At Night; Give Me Your Time; The Truth; Take Me; Gone Away; Can’t Go On Without You; Never Good EnoughLaurence Jones – confirmed UK dates, 2018:(Tickets: www.thegigcartel.comSeeTickets.com and 24 Hour Box Office: 08444 790 898).London, Borderline - Tuesday 23 JanuaryManchester, Band on the Wall - Thursday 3rd MayLeamington Spa, Zephyr Lounge - Friday 4th MaySouthampton, Talking Heads - Saturday 5th MayBirmingham, Hare & Hounds - Thursday 10th MayNottingham, The Bodega - Friday 11th MayYork, Fulford Arms - Saturday 12th MayNewcastle, The Cluny - Sunday 13th May

Australian outfit The Iron Horses released their new single, 'April Rain,' at the end of last year on Golden Robot Records; the song is a bright, breezy alt-pop affair that just cries out for radio play.

Sydney based The Iron Horses were formed in early 2015.Singer Duncan Welsh and guitarist Ciaran Loughran were already writing songs while still searching for a rhythm section to complete their new band – with the addition of Peter Holt (drums) and Rahul Ranjit (bass) that search was over.

The band released their debut EP Stop to Start in 2016, complementing that product with more than fifty shows in Sydney that same year.In early 2017 their contemporary hard-pop and guitar-led number 'Traffic' was released as a single; click here for the Youtube link

Solid Entertainments will present a touring trio of Ladies of the Blues in March 2018.

Featuring the voices of British singers Connie Lush and Kyla Brox and the voice and stunning slide guitar work of Finnish blues musician Erja Lyytinen, the nine date tour kicks off at the Pavilion Theatre in Whitby on the 21st of March and culminates with a show at The Atkinson in Southport on the 30th of March.

The voice of Kyla Brox is a stunning example of the soul singer's art: whether fronting the Kyla Brox Band or in soul power duo mode with musical and life partner Danny Blomeley, she vocally turns up the heat by degrees and blurs the distinction between pleasure and pain like the soul greats of old.

Lancashire born Kyla Brox was exposed to the passion of Afro-American music first-hand from her blues singing father, Victor. She traces her interest in singing from age three, partly from a desire to be closer to her charismatic but distant dad (she was the late product of the marriage between Victor (Caiaphas in the original cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar) and Annette (the Maid by the Fire in the same).

A two month stay at her dad’s house in France at the age of 16 was a period of growth and development. When she turned 20, she accompanied her father on an extensive tour of Australia, a trip that transformed the novice singer into a seasoned soul belle.

Returning to the UK and Manchester in 2001, Kyla and Danny Blomeley formed a duo; occasionally augmented by other players the Kyla Brox Band was soon born.Originally plying their trade in her dad Victor's old stomping grounds in North West pubs and clubs, a career-making performance at Colne Blues Festival in 2002 sealed Kyla's reputation as the first lady of the British blues.

The line of career development can be traced through Kyla Brox’s six albums, from 2003 debut Window, where the tone is summery and romantic, through an album such as the introspective Gone (2007) and on to the acoustic Grey Sky Blue (2009).

In an age of conveyer belt pop stars and emote-by-rote singers, Kyla Brox is the real deal.

Take one part blues traditionalist, blend it with a forward-thinking music academy graduate, serve with a side order of skill and a garnish of Nordic beauty. What have you got?Singer/guitarist Erja Lyytinen, a.k.a. the "Finnish slide goddess" (The Blues Magazine).

Erja Lyytinen has to date recorded and released ten studio albums (incorporating various styles including jazz, pop and soul) and in locations as diverse as Helsinki, Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi, earning numerous awards and honours along the way.

In 2014 The Sky Is Crying, a dazzling collection of stripped-down, recorded live, old-school blues in tribute to Elmore James convinced even the most discerning listeners of Lyytinen's deep feel for the blues and that as a slide player, she has few peers.

2015 saw the release of the CD/DVD Live in London, recorded at that city's renowned 100 Club the previous fall.In 2017 Erja Lyytinen delivered her most stylistic and accomplished studio release to date, Stolen Hearts.It was also her best work vocally, enhanced by a warm analogue recording from renowned studio sound engineer and producer Chris Kimsey.

Connie Lush is regarded as one of the finest blues singers in the UK.A five-time winner of Best UK Vocalist and twice European Blues vocalist of the year, she has performed at some of Europe’s most prestigious festivals, wowed audiences from Moscow to LA and toured the UK with the late, great BB King, culminating in an unforgettable night at the Royal Albert Hall.

But after over twenty years of an award-winning career, Connie Lush arrived at a new beginning; an enforced absence from the road turned into a period of re-evaluation, resulting in something of a Renaissance…

In 2014 Connie Lush and husband Terry Harris (who had produced Lush’s last six albums and played bass in her band since day one) felt the time had come to shake things up a little.New blues blood came in the form of drummer Roy Martin (Aretha Franklin, James Morrison, Barclay James Harvest) and guitarist Steve Wright (known for his stunning guitar playing, TV work and production and mixing skills as part of the House of Tone team).

On Renaissance (2015), Connie Lush expertly demonstrated her new direction and new start, from the opening bars of the brooding 'Lonely Boy,' through the radio-friendly choruses of 'Blame It All On Me' and on to the closing, exquisite reading of the album’s only cover, Bonnie Raitt’s 'I Can’t Make You Love Me.'

In 2016 the Connie Lush Band undertook two major European Tours encompassing Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium as well as UK festival and gigs.The same year Connie Lush was nominated for Best Female Blues Vocalist and Renaissance was nominated for Best British Blues Album.In the spring of 2017 Connie Lush she started to record what will be her eighth album.

Hue and Cry, the sophisticated soul-pop outfit featuring brothers Pat (vocals) and Greg Kane (keyboards, arrangements) will perform six stripped back shows in the UK next May when they embark on a short co-headline a tour with The Christians.

The performances will feature reworked versions of some of their classic songs as well as tracks from the Kane brother’s current album, the classy crooner pop meets strings release Pocketful of Stones.

The Christians, who recently released an album of reworked classics, Sings & Strings, have been described as "the Temptations with ripped jeans;" their socially-aware soul music made as much of an impact on pop culture in the 1980s as did Hue and Cry’s soul and jazz affected material.

Both bands are also celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut albums in 2017.Hue and Cry’s first album, Seduced and Abandoned, propelled the band to stardom; it sold 100,000 copies and featured UK Top 10 hit 'Labour of Love.'The Christians self-titled debut went to No. 2 in the charts, going on to obtain double-platinum status in the UK.

Hue and Cry (stripped back performances) co-headline dates with The Christians:18th May - William Aston Hall, Wrexham19th May - LiVe, Preston20th May - Oakengates Theatre, Telford25th May - Warehouse 23, Wakefield26th May - Club Academy, Manchester27th May - ULU, London

Ian Anderson will present 50 Years of Jethro Tull with eight UK concerts in April 2018; the octet of dates, which are already experiencing high demand for tickets (four of the shows - Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, London - are already SOLD OUT), will form part of a worldwide touring schedule.

On the 2nd of February 1968, at the famous Marquee Club on Wardour Street in London, Jethro Tull first performed under that name. The band’s debut album, This Was, was released later that same year.

Jethro Tull went on to become one of the most successful and enduring bands of their era; releasing thirty studio and live albums and selling over 60 million units worldwide, they became one of the biggest selling Progressive Rock artists of all time (their immense and diverse catalogue of work encompasses folk, blues, classical and heavy rock).

The anniversary concerts will feature a broad mix of material, some of it focusing on the earlier formative period through to the "heavy hitters" of the Tull catalogue from albums such as This Was, Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Too Old To Rock And Roll: Too Young To Die, Songs From the Wood, Heavy Horses, Crest of a Knave and even a touch of 2012’s forty-years on sequel Thick as a Brick 2.

Of the anniversary tour, Ian Anderson says:"I am not usually a birthday or anniversary kind of guy but, just for once, I won't be a party-pooper either! I treasure the memories of the earlier years of Jethro Tull repertoire, associated as it is with the adventures of visiting so many countries for the first time to connect with fans around the world. And this is a celebration of all the thirty-three band members who graced our ranks - musicians who brought their talents, skills and styles to bear on the performances live and in the studio.Join me and the current band for a nostalgic evening of varied music, representative of my ever-changing songwriting as our careers progressed through the years."

It's always an ears-pricked-up pleasure when something or somebody comes out of left field to pique your musical interest or adds a different colour to what you perceived to be their chosen pallette.

Making very different musical marks from previous or current endeavours are two Scottish musicians by the names of Edward Mackay and Fraser Clark.

With the greatest respect Ed Mackay is not a name that will be familiar to those outside of the Ayrshire music scene or Gourock, where he now resides.

Ed was a member of Ayrshire based band Rose Parade, a group whose indie-folk and quirky, melodic charm should have got them well beyond the Radio One airplay and FabricationsHQ page space they received and on to the wider alt-pop appeal they deserved, but destined never to achieve.

Ed Mackay’s latest venture, under the name Point Cove (inspired by the Isle of Lewis where Mackay grew up) is, at this stage, a collection of four home/ computer recorded tracks known collectively as the They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To EP.Ed is now actively seeking routes toward making Point Cove and the debut EP a distributor based or self-released realisation.

Based on a mixture of computer created rhythms, post-rock, string effects, pop and the use of vintage, spoken word recordings the four tracks link to themes about our relationship with, and discovery of, sound through technology.'Written in Wax' is about the original vinyl record; 'I Am the Edison Phonograph' declares itself just that; 'From Any Place at Any Time' heralds the advent of radio; 'Hear Me Speak' features some of the earliest recordings of peoples' voices.

The point (cove) being, if you’re compared to Bill Nelson, you’re doing something right – and creative.

Coming from an entirely different musical angle, but one that is equally creative, is the From The Depths EP by Fraser Clark, a keyboard player whose name will be familiar to anyone who follows the UK’s blues rock scene and the "soul-deep rhythm and blues" outfit Redfish (who recently opened the main day of the returning Carlisle Blues Festival).

Fraser Clark’s highly animated on stage persona and bluesified keyboard remarks have been exchanged for a far calmer and contemporary solo venture – his piano instrumental offering are about as far removed from the Redfish brand of rhythm and blues as you could imagine – but his nu classical / semi-progressive piano pieces are imagined very well indeed.

Opening with the slightly sinister 'From The Depths' (not so much "look out behind you" as "look out below you") the space between the notes (reflecting what lies hidden beneath the surface) adds atmosphere to the EP's title track.

'Broken' adds traditional, yet still contemporary, melancholic contrast before the eight minute 'Glacier' acts as a slow moving soundtrack to the much slower moving icy giant.

The delicate 'Dust' and brighter allegro of 'Silver' close out what could be described as a Redfish out of Water but, like Ed Mackay and Point Cove, From the Depths is artistic passion over musical fashion – and that’s the kind of melody that will always appeal to, and be supported by, FabricationsHQ.

​Following confirmation that legendary recording & sound engineer and producer Chris Kimsey is working with British blues rock singer Rebecca Downes as a Consulting Producer, the award winning vocalist and songstress (Best Emerging Artist and Best Female Vocalist; 2016 British Blues Awards) has recently announced the first release of that partnership.

A Chris Kimsey re-mix of 'Sailing On a Pool of Tears,' a melodic blues gem from latest album Believe, will be released on the 27th of October; the Official Video for the song was produced by Nick J Townsend.

The geared (and absolutely screaming out) for radio airplay remix also acts as a taster of what is to come – a re-release of Believe as "Edition II" (including a full-length version of the 'Sailing…' re-mix as a bonus track) and a brand new album, currently scheduled for a mid-2018 release.

As regards the latter, the Rebecca Downes Band band have been in the studio recording twelve new tracks with Chris Kimsey overseeing in an advisory capacity and assisting in the development of the songs.Kimsey is also lined up to mix the new tracks once recording is complete.

​Rebecca Downes is based in Birmingham where she works with her song-writing partner and the five piece band’s guitarist Steve Birkett.Their songwriting and musical partnership has produced, thus far, an EP, two studio albums and a live album.All have been produced by Wolverhampton-based producer Mark V Stuart, who brings over thirty years of studio and live experience to the table.

The Downes / Birkett partnership received a boost in August when they formed an association with Tri-Arts Partners, LLC of Los Angeles who have agreed to manage Rebecca Downes Music interests in North America.The principals of Tri-Arts Partners have a collective management and talent agency background that includes representation of such past and present luminaries as Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond, Tower of Power, The Pointer Sisters, Kenny Loggins, Chaka Khan and the Everly Brothers.

"As an independent artist it is wonderful to receive advice and encouragement from Chris, who has an amazing track record as a producer and who continues to work with the biggest names in contemporary music. We are honoured to be working with him, flattered to receive his support and excited by the direction in which he is helping us go." - Rebecca Downes

"I get a huge kick out of working with talented new artists. I was struck by the quality of Rebecca and Steve’s existing portfolio and the power of their live performances. The new material moves them onto a new level as songwriters and it is hugely rewarding to play a part in their progression." - Chris Kimsey

​Jes Falcon isn’t a household name but every household who enjoys rock with a twist, or quirky alt-pop, should be giving him a listen.

FabricationsHQ has been a fan and supporter of Jes Falcon (and entertainer styled artists like him) since the engaging, Spanish born (but Euro and US travelling) musician released his first full–length work Fake Bluff in 2012.

He’s also created some clever little videos with high production values to promote his music, the latest being for 'Shut Up, I’m On a Roll!' a fun little number that will feature on forthcoming album Things Nobody Taught Us.

The fact that this particular video/ song will never bounce around the world and back again Gangnam Style, instead more than likely destined for low-level numbers success, is something I doubt Jes Falcon cares a jot about, much preferring to be counted among those for whom it’s about artistic passion over musical fashion.

"A language works best when we have something interesting to say. Many music teachers never find out what their students have to say; we only tell them what they are supposed to say."Victor Wooten, musician